OMAHA (DTN) -- In 2005, when a state-of-the-art ethanol plant was announced for Bloomingburg, Ohio, the small farming community looked forward to promises of economic development.

But by the time the plant finally opened in 2008, the ethanol industry had changed. Bloomingburg's plant now sits idle after operating for only 10 months.

VeraSun Energy Corp. bought the plant in August 2007, started production there in April 2008, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few months later, then shut down Bloomingburg's plant in January 2009.

The idling of the plant was a tough blow for Bloomingburg's 874 residents.

"At the peak ...